Oliver Bown
@olliebown.bsky.social
Associate Prof, @UNSW Art&Design.
Research: Creative AI, computational creativity, music, IxD, society, evolution.
Music: Icarus, Tangents.
And: Social justice, equity, cycling, urban planning, 18-19C history.
Don't know why I post, mostly notes to self.
Research: Creative AI, computational creativity, music, IxD, society, evolution.
Music: Icarus, Tangents.
And: Social justice, equity, cycling, urban planning, 18-19C history.
Don't know why I post, mostly notes to self.
Love how you can quote your own post. The NFHRIR is an amazing place to work, a high-tech media space situated in a small art and design college with its own campus in Paddington, Sydney.
November 25, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Love how you can quote your own post. The NFHRIR is an amazing place to work, a high-tech media space situated in a small art and design college with its own campus in Paddington, Sydney.
Reposted by Oliver Bown
I'd appreciate if any audio tech folks could help circulate this exciting call for a fully-funded PhD position working in multichannel audio design for galleries.
It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery'
www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...
It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery'
www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...
November 25, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I'd appreciate if any audio tech folks could help circulate this exciting call for a fully-funded PhD position working in multichannel audio design for galleries.
It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery'
www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...
It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery'
www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...
I'd appreciate if any audio tech folks could help circulate this exciting call for a fully-funded PhD position working in multichannel audio design for galleries.
It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery'
www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...
It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery'
www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...
November 25, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I'd appreciate if any audio tech folks could help circulate this exciting call for a fully-funded PhD position working in multichannel audio design for galleries.
It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery'
www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...
It's part of an ARC funded project 'From Noise to Signal: Improving Sonic Experiences in the Gallery'
www.unsw.edu.au/research/hdr...
thelocal.to/investigatin...
This is an amazing piece that perfectly resembles the bombardment of PhD applications, AI papers and essays academics now sift through.
Depressing how much pollution this creates and how many are willing to go there.
Read it to the end, which is beautiful.
This is an amazing piece that perfectly resembles the bombardment of PhD applications, AI papers and essays academics now sift through.
Depressing how much pollution this creates and how many are willing to go there.
Read it to the end, which is beautiful.
Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era | The Local
A suspicious pitch from a freelancer led editor Nicholas Hune-Brown to dig into their past work. By the end, four publications, including The Guardian and Dwell, had removed articles from their sites.
thelocal.to
November 25, 2025 at 1:35 PM
thelocal.to/investigatin...
This is an amazing piece that perfectly resembles the bombardment of PhD applications, AI papers and essays academics now sift through.
Depressing how much pollution this creates and how many are willing to go there.
Read it to the end, which is beautiful.
This is an amazing piece that perfectly resembles the bombardment of PhD applications, AI papers and essays academics now sift through.
Depressing how much pollution this creates and how many are willing to go there.
Read it to the end, which is beautiful.
It's alarming watching our politicians fail to stand up in unity as a foreign autocrat intimidates our national press.
You can say we're getting a taste of our own medicine a long time coming.
But it's not about country A v B, it's about people versus power.
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
You can say we're getting a taste of our own medicine a long time coming.
But it's not about country A v B, it's about people versus power.
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Reith lecturer accuses BBC of censoring his remarks on Trump
Dutch writer Rutger Bregman says claim that Trump was ‘most openly corrupt president in US history’ was removed
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:59 PM
It's alarming watching our politicians fail to stand up in unity as a foreign autocrat intimidates our national press.
You can say we're getting a taste of our own medicine a long time coming.
But it's not about country A v B, it's about people versus power.
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
You can say we're getting a taste of our own medicine a long time coming.
But it's not about country A v B, it's about people versus power.
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
It needed to be said.
Yesterday my partner and I counted all the ads along Chicago's Brown Line for "Friend," a company selling an AI chatbot pendant, and tallied how many of those ads were defaced.
Still working on a longer piece on this, but here's the quick and dirty: we counted 104 "Friend" ads total, 42 defaced.
Still working on a longer piece on this, but here's the quick and dirty: we counted 104 "Friend" ads total, 42 defaced.
November 25, 2025 at 7:07 AM
It needed to be said.
Ollie's IxD news and views. Android Clock app is a smorgasbord of extremely basic user experience fails making it the official worst Android app ever. Where's even some basic contrast/panel differentiation here?
November 25, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Ollie's IxD news and views. Android Clock app is a smorgasbord of extremely basic user experience fails making it the official worst Android app ever. Where's even some basic contrast/panel differentiation here?
TBH this is not really unexpected, in hindsight I mean, which is the only way I've learnt to comprehend Trump, and AI. Glad not to have to pick a side on this one!
President Trump faces an unexpected rift in the MAGA movement as Republican officials warn his embrace of the tech industry’s artificial intelligence boom risks undermining Americans’ economic security and exposing their children to new harms.
The surprising issue driving a wedge between Trump and his MAGA base
President Donald Trump’s attempt to block states from regulating AI sparked pushback from Republicans concerned the tech will displace workers and harm kids.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:39 AM
TBH this is not really unexpected, in hindsight I mean, which is the only way I've learnt to comprehend Trump, and AI. Glad not to have to pick a side on this one!
Remember when YouTube announced its AI principles except none of them were actually principles. OK #2 almost was, but that was watered down ("must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities")! 🤣 blog.youtube/inside-youtu...
Our principles for partnering with the music industry on AI technology
Dive into YouTube's new Music AI Incubator, a groundbreaking initiative uniting the music industry and AI. Explore how generative AI is shaping the future of music creation, production, and marketing,...
blog.youtube
November 24, 2025 at 5:53 AM
Remember when YouTube announced its AI principles except none of them were actually principles. OK #2 almost was, but that was watered down ("must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities")! 🤣 blog.youtube/inside-youtu...
Not only people with a voice inside America. The normalisation of violent intimidation of political opponents in the US needs to be called out by all US allies and trading partners. Can you see this abating naturally?
The President of the United States just called for Democratic members of Congress to be executed. "HANG THEM", he posted.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.
If you're a person of influence in this country and you haven't picked a side, maybe now would be the time to pick a fucking side.
November 24, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Not only people with a voice inside America. The normalisation of violent intimidation of political opponents in the US needs to be called out by all US allies and trading partners. Can you see this abating naturally?
Sydneysiders, not to late to reschedule your rainy Saturdy to head down to the MCA for artists talks and guest talks by yours truly and other members of the UNSW Creative Technologies Research Lab. The Data Dreams exhibition, just launched, is rather excellent.
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
In dialogue: Data Dreams | MCA Australia
www.mca.com.au
November 21, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Sydneysiders, not to late to reschedule your rainy Saturdy to head down to the MCA for artists talks and guest talks by yours truly and other members of the UNSW Creative Technologies Research Lab. The Data Dreams exhibition, just launched, is rather excellent.
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
Reminds me of the time I resubmitted a grant but had to rewrite the budget to allow for a year of inflation. Should be standard now to have funding properly indexed and save a lot of headaches.
Reminds me of the time I resubmitted a grant but had to rewrite the budget to allow for a year of inflation. Should be standard now to have funding properly indexed and save a lot of headaches.
The CSIRO cuts are just the tip of the iceberg for Australia's science funding
Australia is known as a country of innovators, but with a combination of brain drain, continuous cuts, and a loss of critical science projects, is Australia losing its edge?
www.abc.net.au
November 19, 2025 at 9:20 PM
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
Reminds me of the time I resubmitted a grant but had to rewrite the budget to allow for a year of inflation. Should be standard now to have funding properly indexed and save a lot of headaches.
Reminds me of the time I resubmitted a grant but had to rewrite the budget to allow for a year of inflation. Should be standard now to have funding properly indexed and save a lot of headaches.
Anytime I do a DA I'm blown away, but this takes the biscuit.
"Cryptically" means you flip the answer and the clue. The answer actually contains the action word, this time an anagrind.
"Cryptically" means you flip the answer and the clue. The answer actually contains the action word, this time an anagrind.
November 16, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Anytime I do a DA I'm blown away, but this takes the biscuit.
"Cryptically" means you flip the answer and the clue. The answer actually contains the action word, this time an anagrind.
"Cryptically" means you flip the answer and the clue. The answer actually contains the action word, this time an anagrind.
The GEMA v OpenAI win is good news but the ruling leans on the lyrics being stored and reproduced near verbatim. We risk inviting disguised or "genericised" outputs which in my mind could be a lose lose lose (quality, remuneration, recognition).
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/gema-wins-la...
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/gema-wins-la...
GEMA wins landmark ruling against OpenAI over ChatGPT’s use of song lyrics - Music Business Worldwide
Court in Germany finds that ChatGPT violates copyright laws through its unauthorized use of song lyrics…
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:44 AM
The GEMA v OpenAI win is good news but the ruling leans on the lyrics being stored and reproduced near verbatim. We risk inviting disguised or "genericised" outputs which in my mind could be a lose lose lose (quality, remuneration, recognition).
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/gema-wins-la...
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/gema-wins-la...
The launch of the exhibition Data Dreams is coming soon to the MCA. I'll be joining a line up of talks presented by the UNSW Creative Technologies Research Lab on Saturday 22nd November to accompany the exhibition. Always a good day when Kate Crawford's in the house.
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
In dialogue: Data Dreams | MCA Australia
www.mca.com.au
November 14, 2025 at 2:30 AM
The launch of the exhibition Data Dreams is coming soon to the MCA. I'll be joining a line up of talks presented by the UNSW Creative Technologies Research Lab on Saturday 22nd November to accompany the exhibition. Always a good day when Kate Crawford's in the house.
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
No, the BBC may have done a bad edit but this is gross political bullying. This man has normalised flagrant lying and yes he did support the violent insurrection. Nobody should be apologising to him.
November 13, 2025 at 11:01 PM
No, the BBC may have done a bad edit but this is gross political bullying. This man has normalised flagrant lying and yes he did support the violent insurrection. Nobody should be apologising to him.
So wait, Henry Ford completely fabricated the line that he was going to exit Ford, set up a rival to Ford that made cars cheaper than Ford, crashing Ford shares only to buy them all up and take back over, not considered illegal. And he was a raving Nazi. It makes nowtimes seem relatively ok.
November 12, 2025 at 4:09 AM
So wait, Henry Ford completely fabricated the line that he was going to exit Ford, set up a rival to Ford that made cars cheaper than Ford, crashing Ford shares only to buy them all up and take back over, not considered illegal. And he was a raving Nazi. It makes nowtimes seem relatively ok.
Amongst Melbourne's many talents is hanging cool cycle paths underneath freeways.
bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-west-gat...
bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-west-gat...
Ride the new cycling paths in Melbourne’s inner west
Check out your new and upgraded cycling paths in Melbourne’s inner west, including the veloway above Footscray Road. All built as part of the West Gate Tunnel Project.
bigbuild.vic.gov.au
November 11, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Amongst Melbourne's many talents is hanging cool cycle paths underneath freeways.
bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-west-gat...
bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-west-gat...
BBC editing implied Trump supported Jan 6 insurrectionists.
Trump pardoned those insurrectionists.
Trump pardoned those insurrectionists.
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 AM
BBC editing implied Trump supported Jan 6 insurrectionists.
Trump pardoned those insurrectionists.
Trump pardoned those insurrectionists.
Can't believe this thought has never come fully formed until today -- I know it's been lurking a long time -- but I think we should take a more positive view of gen image models training on their own output as experiments in artificial culture. Who is doing this work right now?
November 9, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Can't believe this thought has never come fully formed until today -- I know it's been lurking a long time -- but I think we should take a more positive view of gen image models training on their own output as experiments in artificial culture. Who is doing this work right now?
Not kidding people are asking ChatGPT to predict the Bitcoin price. We really are in big trouble.
The weekly cartoon
from The Economist Espresso www.economist.com/the-world-th...
The weekly cartoon
from The Economist Espresso www.economist.com/the-world-th...
The weekly cartoon | Nov 8th 2025 Edition
The world this week
www.economist.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Not kidding people are asking ChatGPT to predict the Bitcoin price. We really are in big trouble.
The weekly cartoon
from The Economist Espresso www.economist.com/the-world-th...
The weekly cartoon
from The Economist Espresso www.economist.com/the-world-th...
Reposted by Oliver Bown
FIFA making up a Peace Prize to award Donald Trump is the most on brand thing they’ve done this year.
FIFA to award new peace prize at World Cup draw in Washington
FIFA has announced the creation of a peace prize, which it plans to award for the first time at the World Cup draw on Dec. 5 in Washington.
www.pbs.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:35 PM
FIFA making up a Peace Prize to award Donald Trump is the most on brand thing they’ve done this year.
The world is not mad enough that the company most have entrusted to search information has decided this is the path we all shall take.
AI is fun. AI is clever. It will have great uses, productivity, meaningful cultural value.
Doesn't mean it's ok to close your eyes while driving your car.
AI is fun. AI is clever. It will have great uses, productivity, meaningful cultural value.
Doesn't mean it's ok to close your eyes while driving your car.
November 7, 2025 at 10:37 AM
The world is not mad enough that the company most have entrusted to search information has decided this is the path we all shall take.
AI is fun. AI is clever. It will have great uses, productivity, meaningful cultural value.
Doesn't mean it's ok to close your eyes while driving your car.
AI is fun. AI is clever. It will have great uses, productivity, meaningful cultural value.
Doesn't mean it's ok to close your eyes while driving your car.
The UMG/Udio news affirms my recent research career pivot from being a creative AI technologist to understanding what AI is doing to creative industries. There's a huge need for research energy to go into this.
Short piece with @kathybowrey.bsky.social.
theconversation.com/universal-mu...
Short piece with @kathybowrey.bsky.social.
theconversation.com/universal-mu...
Universal Music went from suing an AI company to partnering with it. What will it mean for artists?
The new deal might seem like a ‘win’ for artists at face value. But how it actually benefits them remains unclear.
theconversation.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:41 PM
The UMG/Udio news affirms my recent research career pivot from being a creative AI technologist to understanding what AI is doing to creative industries. There's a huge need for research energy to go into this.
Short piece with @kathybowrey.bsky.social.
theconversation.com/universal-mu...
Short piece with @kathybowrey.bsky.social.
theconversation.com/universal-mu...
Shakes fist at @springernature.com. You guys are getting into the appalling habit of sending out papers with AI-written abstracts to reviewers. This one "delves into ... rapidly evolving relationships ... fundamentally reshaping our understanding".
November 5, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Shakes fist at @springernature.com. You guys are getting into the appalling habit of sending out papers with AI-written abstracts to reviewers. This one "delves into ... rapidly evolving relationships ... fundamentally reshaping our understanding".